Los Angeles daily herald., 1887-02-03
COLORADO POLITICS.
Why the County Commits
sioners Resigned.
DELIGHTS OF HOLDING OFFICE.
A Mob Con2els Elected Officers
to Resign at the Point
of Pistol

lspecicl to the HercEa og TIA Associated Press
DENVER, Col, February s.-Pagosa
Springs. the county seat Of ArcARlssa
county. Is in q state of anarchy. A mob
has driven the County Commissioners
from the town. baraed several houses Of
Commissioner Sease, and forced him to
resign his cffies at ths point of q re-
volver. A special from there says
]. r. Martinez, J. p. Arehureta and MIR,
Scase. Republican County Commission
ers were on January I'd uuseatsd by the
Democratic Sheriff nsmed Height The
act was perpetratsd from political
motives and the mob which fall0wsd the
Sheriff after having accomplished the act
of intimidation burnt the house Of Mr..
Scase at Pagosa Sprirgs. This last act
was committed Monday During the ab-
senes of Seass IL Denver. Last Novem-
Der the above named Commissioners
were etee.ed by Republican votes. At
the same time, the Democrat uarssJ
Height, was elected Sheriff There Was
. great feeling at the polls, but the pre-
ponderating Mexican VOTE assured Mar
tinez, Arehuleta and Seass their triumph
over tae attacks OF their antagonists
They were Mexicans and this, too added
strength tothe bitterness prevalent TSe
feeling increased, instead of GixiaSshIrg,
as the time CT their introduction into
office approached and Gu january Sd. at
AL
appearance, sn arraess mob of lS or 20
determined men lead by Sheriff
Height forced their way into tse
room where the Commissioners were
ssated, and demanded of them that
they vaclte their seats. The Sheriff in
sisted that their designations be made at
once, or else there weaEI be bloodsheI-
The Commissioners uaistaklng the tenn
per of the mob, refused. under the inn
preston that the demonstration was
nothing more than blusssr. bat the uaab.
intent on its purpose, took forcl9He pos
session of the Camnlsslonerss and wsta
more threats locked theus in the r@eu,.
declaring it to be their purpose TO starve
them into sublecttea- AT the time oi
the foreible entry, Member MARTINEZ
left the room and escaped from the
building. A delegation overlook hmm and
forcibly dragged him through the streets
to the court house and locked hiun up
with his companions Finally, AZ the
expiration OF tive or six keurs. the ma0b
permitted their prisoners To 60. but ths
concession seemed to be for purpose,
for rs soou as the three Commissioners
separated, the noh, with the SaeTiri
still at thsir head, 70 lowed CeranSssaaa
er Scase TO his house. Sease WAS pro
prietor Of the hotel at Psg~ss SpriR2S
and 1t was here that he rssi3sSl- Ths
mob surrounded the hosel and takfna
Seass again In enstosty he wtas Grsggs'r
forth from the midst of his farnhly and
with q gur barrel at hls head e@CnR
PEELED to resign his office - Com
missioner. The resignation was al once
forwarded to Governor Adams and IN
structious sent with il that he sPpcdas N
once Democrat in the peaes Of Seass.
Since that time the Baard las mot met
no laws have been enforced and s. e0naa-
ton of things bearing upon anarchy has
prevailed. The Commissioners have no
been permitted to set foot In the ee1mty
since the day they were warned II TIM
peril of their lives not tn rsturn- II
fact it was dangerous to remain IN tn
vicinity and so they started at once foi
Denver, NOT only tor prvtsetR0rs but u
lay their grievances before their rSE-e
sentatsves IN the Legislature s1s
the Governor. The Gosern0c Is do
ing all in his power to secar'
peaceful settlement of the trvGAEs
The matter wss brorgEs before the ss=
eral assembly to-day and a joint e0rannls
tee appointed to investigate ths artA1
ct once.